Recipe: Beer-Braised Brat Sandwiches

Beer-Braised Brat Sandwiches

Makes 4 servings

Wisconsin is justifiably famous for its bratwurst and its beer. And it's no coincidence that these two hearty German specialties go well together. There are as many recipes for braising bratwurst in beer as there are types of bratwurst, and many call for sweet spices like cloves, allspice, or some sugar in the braising liquid. These can be very tasty, but we prefer the flavors of coarse German mustard and onions with the sausages.

Another popular variation is to cook the sausages for 10 to 15 minutes until the beer evaporates, and then brown the brats in the pan or grill them over charcoal.

1 pound Sheboygan Brats (page 56 of book),
Hunter's Sausage, or other mild sausage
1 large onion, sliced
12 ounces dark German beer
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon coarse German-style mustard
4 kaiser or other hard rolls

Over medium heat, brown the bratwurst for about 10 minutes in a heavy skillet large enough to hold all the sausages at once, turning them occasionally as they brown. Remove the sausages and all but 3 tablespoons of the fat. Add the onion, cover the skillet, and cook over medium-high heat for 10 minutes, stirring frequently until light brown. Pour in the beer and scrape up any brown bits clinging to the bottom of the pan. Return the sausages to the pan, and add the bay leaves. Partially cover and cook over moderate beat for 15 minutes. Stir in the mustard and cook until the liquid has begun to thicken

To serve, split the brats down the middle and place on a roll with the onions and sauce. Pass a pot of hot mustard on the side.

from:
Bruce Aidells' Complete Sausage Book
by Bruce Aidells and Denis Kelly
Ten Speed Press, 2000
$21.95, 336 pages
ISBN 1-58008-159-2
Recipe reprinted with permission.

Bruce Aidells' Complete Sausage Book Recipes

Beer-Braised Brat Sandwiches
Hunter's Sausage, Homemade

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